Device for determining the relative position of a plurality of catheters in the human body

• US 20060009754A1
• Filed: 06/23/2005
• Published: 01/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Rahn, Norbert, Boese, Jan, Kleen, Martin
• Granted Patent: US 7,792,564 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/29
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1492 having a flexible, catheter-like structure, e.g. for heart ablation A61B18/1477 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00839 Bioelectrical parameters, e.g. ECG, EEG
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2051 Electromagnetic tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/20 Surgical navigation systems; Devices for tracking or guiding surgical instruments, e.g. for frameless stereotaxis

Abstract

Device for determining the relative position of two or more catheters in the human body, there being disposed on each catheter (4, 5), preferably in the area of the catheter tip, at least one measuring electrode (ME1-ME8; ME9, ME10) which can be connected to a voltage source together with one or more measuring electrodes of a further catheter, wherein the resistance between the measuring electrodes, and hence the distance of the measuring electrodes, can be determined via a current measurement.

Claims

1-8. -8. (canceled)

9. A device for determining the relative position of a first and second catheter in a human body, comprising:

a first measuring electrode arranged on the first catheter;

a second measuring electrode arranged on the second catheter, the first and second measuring electrodes configured to be connected to a power supply unit, the power supply unit configured to be connected to at least a third measuring electrode of a third catheter; and

a measuring unit for determining an electrical resistance between the first and second electrodes by measuring an electrical current flowing through the first and second electrodes and for determining a distance between the electrodes based on the determined electrical resistance, wherein the relative position is determined using the determined distance.

10. The device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the first and second electrodes are arranged at a tip of the first respectively second catheter.

11. The device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the power supply unit includes at least a first and a second alternating voltage power supply having different frequencies, and the electrical current is measured by a current measuring instrument configured to measure such currents having a specific frequency and/or a specific phase.

12. The device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the first electrode has a known distance from the second electrode, the power supply unit is connected to the first and second electrodes, and the electrical current is measured for calibrating the measuring unit with regard to absolute distances derived from the current measuring.

13. The device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the first or the second catheter is a lasso catheter having a number of measuring electrodes arranged equidistantly on and distributed over a loop of the lasso catheter.

14. The device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the first or the second catheter is an intervention catheter.

15. The device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the intervention catheter is an ablation catheter.

16. The device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the measuring unit is configured to output the determined distance and relative position to a user of the device using an acoustical signal having a signal frequency related to the determined distance and/or relative position.

17. The device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the measuring unit is configured to output the determined distance and relative position to a user of the device using a pictogram.

18. The device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the first or second electrode is included in a working electrode of the first respectively second catheter, the working electrode configured to execute a medical examination and/or treatment procedure.